His comments were probably intended for domestic consumption, just like half the things that come out of our president’s mouth, but the belligerent, anti-U.S. Hamid of 2013 was probably not what anyone had in mind in 2002 – when an articulate, eloquent and pro-U.S. Karzai was viewed as Afghanistan’s best hope and installed as interim-president-forever in 2002. This was especially galling after the most recent green-on-blue shooting by an Afghan soldier that left two U.S. troops dead.

Come 2014, the loose confederacy that makes up the Afghan government will crumble, alliances will form based on self-interest and strongmen will fight to consolidate power, a replay of the aftermath of the Soviet withdrawal in 1992.